The Cause Of Distress
by Kurotaker
Summary: A memory turned bedtime story, Claude indulges a late-night visitor with a tale of his Master's misfortune. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Claude Faustus nor Earl Alois Trancy. Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler belongs to Yana Toboso and Square.**

**Flames must be left at the door. Constructive criticism is welcomed.**

* * *

Sugar into Salt, Living unto Dead, and Dark Blue into Gold…

As the Trancy butler, I have many responsibilities. None of which you would be interested in I am sure. …You are? Well I do suppose I can tell you a story then…curious little one you are.

One responsibility that is a constant, is the accompaniment of my Master to anyplace he deems necessary. Of course, he thinks it mandatory for me to accompany him everywhere. Poor brat is incapable of any sort of individualism it seems.

But I digress.

The particular setting I shall tell you of, is of one meeting my Master would rather forget.

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Two months it had been. Two months since he had been summoned by a young blonde boy who wished to call upon a faery. And in that time, the one named Alois had made himself comfortable in the Trancy Manor, sitting behind the desk of the previous owner as if he had belonged there to begin with.

This afternoon would find the young blonde staring fixedly at the clock, his boredom at the mandatory meeting quite plain. His right eye had begun to tic, and falling face first onto the large table, Alois began to tap a finger to a beat that sounded in his own head. He had told Claude that this would be a bore, and the damned idiot had the gall to suggest he may actually enjoy it.

The thought caused the Earl to sit up and let loose a loud 'Hah', which caused the rest of the nobles to stop their discussion and pin him with a scathing look. Alois took this all in stride, twisting his visage into a mocking smirk. "Oh? I'm so _sorry_! Have I interrupted this shit-hole of a meeting?" By the end of the apparently rhetorical question, the Trancy's tone had turned frigid, and his smirk morphed into a scowl. The icy hues had narrowed, and two of the nobles shifted in their seat.

However, the royal to the boy's right gave the Trancy a smirk. Such fire rested in that small frame. A fire that he wanted to tame and capture as his own. Noticing the feeling of eyes upon his back, Alois snapped his eyes to the elder man, and sneered. He knew that look. "Do you have a problem?"

The noble gave what was supposed to be a placating grin. Waving hands that held a few rings, he shook his head. "Not at all… I simply admire a backbone when I see one." The tone was amiable, and betrayed nothing of the man's intentions. However the Spider kept an eye on the man, as the human's aura was laced with impure intention.

Alois beckoned to his butler with a seemingly lazy gesture. "Claude… Can you get me a scone?" Still the center of attention, the Earl once again lost interest in the idiots that surrounded him, and was a tad bit hungry. The servant called stepped forward, his golden gaze half-lidded, yet alert. "But of course, your Highness. Do you have a particular flavour in mind?" His tone portrayed his own boredom, and held more of monotonous undercurrent than it normally did.

"No. Though do not bring me blueberry… That wench ruined it for me." Chilled blue eyes narrowing at the memory, the Earl made a face of disgust – tongue poking out slightly. Bowing at the waist, Claude nodded in acknowledgement before spinning on his heel and gliding out the door.

Alois' confidant and near dominate demeanor shrank as his butler left the room. His muscles became rigid, and his gaze hyper alert. This change went unnoticed by all in the room. All but one. The noble that sat to the Trancy's right kept his eyes upon the young Earl, a lecherous plan swirling around in his chocolate topped head. And he was about to put it into motion.

Reaching his left hand under the table, the man sat forward as if he was immersed in the continued conversation, his motions going unseen by all present. Thin fingers inching towards a bare thigh, the intent was just to brush. To run fingertips across the milky white canvas that begged to be painted. And he succeeded.

The response to this faint stroke of digits was nearly violent in it's nature. The leg touched jerked upwards, ramming the underside of the table so hard that the smooth wooden surface jolted. This caused many crystal wineglasses to lurch sideways, the impact with the wood punctuated by the sounds of shattering glass.

The Earl however heard none of the chaos he just caused, a ringing in his ears preventing all sound from entering. A hundred different thoughts flashed through his mind at seemingly the same time. However one stood out the most. '_I am no one's play thing…_' Snarl morphing the normally angelic visage into something nearly monstrous, Alois shoved his chair backwards and stood in one swift motion. The seat fell hard to the floor, the carpet only barely muffling the noise.

All this had caught Claude's attention in a matter of moments, the Spider gliding swiftly down the hall – as if more that one pair of legs carried him. Though instead of rushing to the blonde's aid as the Raven would have done for the Phantomhive, he stood behind the door. Out of sight to those that would look, but there in case the Master truly needed, or called.

Earl Alois Trancy trembled in rage, and wholeheartedly laid into the idiot that thought he could touch him. "You fuckin' **prat**! What the bloody hell made you think I was something to fondle?! You sick shit, do you do this to your children too?!" Not once did the thought to call on Claude cross his mind. More than likely because he was still acclimated to being on his own.

The brown haired noble had been frantically waving his hands the entire time, the others pinning him with mixed looks of disgust, and rejection. Though none of them said anything, and continued to watch the spectacle as if it were an interesting drama. And to an extent it was. At least from the Daemon's view.

It was finally at that point, the noble spluttering at the fact he was caught and hung on the line, that Alois straightened his violet overcoat, and called to his butler. "Claude! We're leaving. I no longer wish to deal with this filth." That was the lightest insult he could spit out, and the young boy spun on his purple heel, and sauntered out the door. Though it wasn't too pure of a victory, as memories of being used, touched, and violated flashed through his mind. His teeth gritting in mental anguish and anger, the Earl shouted again. "CLAUDE! I said we are leaving!"

The Arachnid gave a slight bow to all present, and followed right behind the Trancy.

* * *

You squirm. This fascinates me. Why do you do so?

Oh, you feel for my young Master? Don't worry, this was some time ago, and I assure you the noble is no longer…able…to enact his desires.

Leaving already? But it is evening…surely a comfortable bed would be better than the cobblestone.

Though if you insist, I suppose I must … convince you to stay.


End file.
